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Scotsman
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Fringe theatre reviews: Del Valle: A True Tale of Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll… and Redemption Joan Collins Blocked Me on Twitter A Poem and a Mistake Blaze FM BED: A One Man
An absorbing autobiography of a rock'n'roll life lived to the full, Ned Van Zandt's hour of no-messing storytelling comes with trigger-warnings galore – and a warm recommendation from our reviewer Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... THEATRE Del Valle: A True Tale of Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll… and Redemption ★★★★ Underbelly Bristo Square (Venue 302) until 25 August Short, stocky, with gnarled arms and a stance which says don't mess, actor Ned Van Zandt looks like he's lived a life. Such a life that this autobiographical show comes with a patchwork of trigger warnings. Del Valle, shorthand for the Travis County Correctional Complex in Austin, Texas, has got the lot, with characters who seem to have walked straight out of a Coen Brothers film (one of the violent ones) and ripe descriptions to boot. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Del Valle: A True Tale of Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll… and Redemption | Contributed Van Zandt chooses to home in on just a couple of standout periods from his past so there is only room to mention in passing that Townes Van Zandt was his cousin. That guy knew how to (not) live, what's Ned got to offer? Lots of narcotics for starters and some shameless but impressive namedrops from Lara Flynn Boyle to Chaka Khan to a certain ill-fated couple he knew from his days living in the Chelsea Hotel. Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen feature as bit players. Van Zandt was right there in their druggy orbit when it all unravelled in 1978/9 but he is more concerned about capturing the street and prison life back in his native Texas with tales of Gary and Belinda's meth lab and the gang culture inside (where he is nicknamed Hollywood for his role in a US soap opera), juggling a burgeoning cast of characters with humour and acuity. We've seen and heard these deadbeats before but these are Van Zandt's deadbeats and he sketches them with affection (even the racist prison top dog), all to the atmospheric soundtrack of a lone electric guitar. Apparently, Van Zandt once failed the audition for The Waltons because he couldn't ride a horse. This is only the 83rd most interesting thing you will learn from this absorbing autobiography. FIONA SHEPHERD THEATRE 24 Weeks ★★★ Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Venue 24) until 25 August Set in a dystopian future Britain where women are rapidly losing all their hard-won reproductive rights, Tatty Pants Theatre Company's 24 Weeks is a brave three-handed drama by Laura Walker which imagines two young female flatmates in their twenties taking matters into their own hands, when their third flatmate, Becca, becomes pregnant after a rowdy house party. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If the scenario is a powerful and compelling one, though, Cory's handling of it takes an unconvincing turn when we begin to realise that the flatmates are planning not only to terminate Becca's pregnancy, but somehow to cause her to forget that she was ever pregnant. Set entirely in the claustrophobic bathroom of the women's flat, the play starts at shouting-pitch, and becomes less credible as it unfolds. It does succeed, though, in its early scenes, in creating a chilling vision of a society - already taking shape, in some US states – where women's privacy and autonomy no longer count for anything; and where the state monitors the very water in the drains to check that every child conceived is brought to birth, whether the woman who must raise that child likes it, or not. JOYCE MCMILLAN THEATRE Joan Collins Blocked Me on Twitter ★★★ Greenside @ George Street (Venue 236) until 23 August Posh tea-loving actor Theodore Emory Jones – Thor to his friends – is a Brit in Beverley Hills. He wafts into our lives in silky pyjamas just as he is awaiting a call from his agent Judy. He's giddy at the prospect of a 'heavy pencil' for a bit part in Casualty but what he really wants is a role in Dynasty beside catfighter extraordinaire Joan Collins. Housekeeper Helga is his confidante as he reminisces on his luvvie career, but he can't help playing to the gallery too. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Billy Walker's camp creation is a familiar thesping caricature with enough of an ego to be comical but equally not too proud to beg. In the era of the self-taped audition, he's ready for his close-up as a lisping Scottish lighthouse keeper in a Bee Gees jukebox musical. Many other namedrops are available and Jones/Walker is adept at finding an equivalent cultural reference for his American audience. He's also fond of an ad lib to the extent that he frequently comes close to losing the plot. But who cares about a lucid narrative when his sparkling and silly company is entertainment enough. FIONA SHEPHERD THEATRE A Poem and a Mistake ★★★ Assembly Rooms (Venue 20) until 24 August Modern-day sexism meets Metamorphosis in this intergalactic melting pot in which the experiences of Myrrha, a committed first-year classics student, are paired with those of female characters from Greek mythology. Sharply written by Cheri Magid and punchily performed by Sarah Baskin, who shifts between genders and realities in playing all the many characters, it explodes the theme of metamorphosis to demonstrate how sexual violence is minimised by the narratives of its time and driven by a quest for power. As Myrrha's male professor is turned into his female student before being turned into cow, from the comfort of an 'all gender' bathroom, it's humorous as well as thought provoking, pummelling through time, space, identity, myth and modernity. 'When something shrinks you, you want to experience something epic,' Myrrhasays. And it's the grandiosity of the piece that is both its appeal and, eventually, challenge as it expands through a myriad of mythical characters, drawing in evermore references to Ovid and denying the opportunity for a more singular development of Myrrha and her story. The construction shifts between impressive and self-conscious, but as a constellation of insights shaped around a thoughtfully explored theme, it's a refreshing, bold and enlightening experiment in theatrical form. SALLY STOTT THEATRE Blaze FM ★★★ Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) until 25 August Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the late 1990s and early 2000s, pirate radio stations played a significant role in developing London's grime scene, illegally broadcasting from rooftops around the city, defying the authorities, and helping to usher in a new culture of music. James Meteyard and grime MC Jammz's drama Blaze FM tells the fictional story of such a station. Hopping from 2003, to 2005, to 2012, to 2016, it traces the intertwined lives of five friends who spend their time spitting bars and spinning tracks on 101.7FM. There is the puppyish Pritstick, who likes to host silly phone-in games, until tragedy strikes. There is his younger brother Jason, a talented rapper who gets drawn into drill music. There is the aging Hughbert, defiant founder of the station, who first gets embroiled in a historical police case concerning the 1985 Broadwater Farm riot, then in the Windrush Scandal. And there is Alpha and Aisha, Hughbert's two caring children. Meteyard and Jammz do not manage to weave these five individuals' storylines into a satisfying whole, but they do effectively pitch the story of Blaze FM against the evolution of London, and Maggie Norris' staging has an infectious energy thanks to a projection-splashed design, some catchy tunes, and five effervescent performances from Alexanda Lobo Moreno, Andrew Brown, Anais Lone, Marcus Reiss and Aliaano El-Ali. FERGUS MORGAN THEATRE BED: A One Man Show ★★ Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower (Venue 45) until 24 August Ben Donaghy is not an awkward stand-up comic — he just plays one on stage. He's more comfortable in the sanctuary of his bed, to which he returns consistently in this clearly honest but rather scrappy autobiographical show. Inspired by Tracy Emin's 'My Bed', Donaghy warily circles around the truth of a painful breakup — distracting himself with bad jokes — before eventually confronting it. While the jokes are intentionally hackneyed Christmas cracker fare, none of them reflect his character — again, perhaps intentional but it makes this piece feel fractured and hollow rather than fully realised. RORY FORD
CNN
6 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Mexico says 26 alleged cartel figures sent to US were requested by Trump administration, not part of tariff talks
Mexico Donald Trump Drugs in society Tariffs FacebookTweetLink Mexico sent 26 alleged cartel figures to face justice in the United States because the Trump administration requested them and Mexico did not want them to continue running their illicit businesses from Mexican prisons, officials said Wednesday. The mass transfer was not, however, part of wider negotiations as Mexico seeks to avoid higher tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump, the officials said. 'These transfers are not only a strategic measure to ensure public safety, but also reflect a firm determination to prevent these criminals from continuing to operate from within prisons and to break up their networks of influence,' Mexican Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said in a news conference on Wednesday. The 26 prisoners handed over to American authorities on Tuesday included figures aligned with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel among others. They were wanted by American authorities for their roles in drug trafficking and other crimes. It comes months after 29 other alleged cartel leaders were sent to the US in February. In the exchange, the US Justice Department promised it would not seek the death penalty against any of the 55 people included in the two transfers, which experts say may help avoid any violent outburst by the cartels in response. Authorities said the operation involved nearly a thousand law enforcement officers, 90 vehicles and a dozen military aircraft. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said earlier Wednesday that the transfers were 'sovereign decisions,' but the move comes as the Mexican leader faces mounting pressure by the Trump administration to crack down on cartels and fentanyl production. García Harfuch also confirmed Wednesday that a US government drone – non-military – was flying over central Mexico, but at the request of Mexican authorities as part of an ongoing investigation. So far, Sheinbaum has tried to show the Trump administration a greater willingness to pursue the cartels than her predecessor – a change that has been acknowledged by US officials – and continued to slow migration to the US border, in an effort to avoid the worst of Trump's tariff threats. Two weeks ago, the two leaders spoke and agreed to give their teams another 90 days to negotiate to avoid threatened 30% tariffs on imports from Mexico. 'Little by little, Mexico is following through with this demand by the Americans to deliver drug capos,' said Mexican security analyst David Saucedo. 'It's buying (the Mexican government) time.' Saucedo said the Mexican government has been able to avoid a burst of violence by cartels – a reaction often seen when capos are captured – in part, because Ovidio Guzmán, a son of infamous capo Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, showed it's possible to negotiate with US prosecutors. Ovidio Guzmán pleaded guilty last month to drug trafficking and other charges and hopes for a lighter sentence in exchange for his cooperation. But Saucedo warned that if such mass prisoner transfers continue, the Latin American country is bound to see another outburst of violence in the future.
GMA Network
6 days ago
- GMA Network
PDEA begins crackdown on ‘tuklaw' or black cigarette
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has begun its crackdown against 'tuklaw' or black cigarettes following a viral video that showed that it caused seizures to some smokers. In Marisol Abdurahman's Wednesday report on '24 Oras,' individuals using and selling black cigarettes will be detained and face charges. PDEA director general General Isagani Nerez said the black cigarettes from Palawan and Quezon City were positive for a synthetic ingredient called cannabinoid, which is considered a dangerous drug. 'Because it is dangerous drugs and it is the same with the provision of Republic Act 9165, yung ating Dangerous Drugs law. Yan, pag nagbenta ka, you will be charged for selling. And pag gumamit ka, then you will be charged for use,' Nerez said. (Because it is a dangerous drug, it falls under the provisions of Republic Act 9165, or the dangerous drugs law. If you sell, you will be charged for selling. And if you were caught using it, then you will be charged for drug use.) PDEA is also focused on investigating where the black cigarettes came from. Although based on their information, it came from another country. Nerez said black cigarettes are in the country to entice tourists to use it as a remembrance or souvenir for free. PDEA admitted that it is challenged in determining the source of black cigarettes, which are mixed with synthetic cannabinoids or chemicals. Nerez said there are no synthetic cannabinoids in the country, so it could be sourced and smuggled from another country. 'It's a new drug. Synthetic pa naman ito. Minsan nahirapan na i-detect (it's synthetic, which could sometimes be difficult to detect),' Nerez said. However, PDEA said it has a theory on detecting the substance after a synthetic cannabinoid was recently seized in Clark, Pampanga. Some lawmakers expressed concern over the black cigarettes during the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs meeting. PDEA and other law enforcement agencies continue with their coordination and investigation to curb the spread of black cigarettes. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA Integrated News
CNN
08-08-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump doubles reward to $50 million for arrest of Venezuela's president to face US drug charges
South America Donald Trump Drugs in societyFacebookTweetLink Follow The Trump administration is doubling to $50 million a reward for the arrest of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers and working with cartels to flood the US with fentanyl-laced cocaine. 'Under President Trump's leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday in a video announcing the reward. Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency, along with several close allies on federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. At the time, the US offered a $15 million reward for his arrest. That was later raised by the Biden administration to $25 million — the same amount the US offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Despite the big bounty, Maduro remains entrenched after defying the US, the European Union and several Latin American governments who condemned his 2024 reelection as a sham and recognized his opponent as Venezuela's duly elected president. Last month, the Trump administration struck a deal to secure the release of 10 Americans jailed in the capital, Caracas, in exchange for Venezuela getting home scores of migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Shortly after, the White House reversed course and allowed US oil producer Chevron to resume drilling in Venezuela after it was previously blocked by US sanctions. Bondi said the Justice Department has seized more than $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets, and said nearly 7 tons of seized cocaine had been traced directly to the leftist leader. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil released a statement characterizing the reward as 'pathetic' and accusing Bondi of orchestrating a 'crude political propaganda operation.' 'We're not surprised, coming from whom it comes from. The same one who promised a nonexistent 'secret list' of Epstein and who wallows in scandals for political favors,' Gil said, referring to the backlash Bondi faced after the Justice Department announced last month that a long-rumored 'client list' of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein does not exist. 'Her show is a joke, a desperate distraction from her own misery.'
Scotsman
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Produced by Tony Award-winner Craig Balsam, Del Valle comes to the UK: A True First-Hand Account Sid & Nancy, The Chelsea Hotel and life in a Texas Prison
Ned Van Zandt's first-hand true stories of living in the guts of New York City's 1970s music scene, where he shared a wall with Sid Vicious and Nancy Spurgen in the infamous Chelsea Hotel. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In Del Valle: A True Tale of Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll... and Redemption, Ned Van Zandt tells his own first-hand true stories of living in the guts of New York City's 1970s music scene, where he shared a wall with Sid Vicious and Nancy Spurgen in the infamous Chelsea Hotel. During his time there he frequented their room 100, as well as the iconic Studio 54 and CBGB clubs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad From after-parties with The Clash to working on a film with Jane Fonda to contemplating asking Chaka Khan if he could borrow $30,000 for rehab - Ned hasseen (and done) it all. New York City InDel Valle, Nedearnestly takes the audience through his debaucherous days in NYC, his Hollywood acting career and his time in a Texas prison - where the almost-famous actor was recognised by a high-ranking inmate who offered "protection" in exchange for acting lessons. Tony Award-winner Craig Balsam is the producer of Del Valle, a play that follows themes of addiction, queerness, celebrity, survival and ultimately, redemption. Ned has already featured in the documentaries Who Killed Nancy? and Sad Vacation, which explore the many theories behind the tragic deaths of Sid and Nancy, but now Ned is telling the story on his own terms. Developed at The Orchard Project and based entirely on Van Zandt's real life, Del Valle doesn't flinch. Expect a punchy, provocative meditation on queerness, celebrity, drugs, and survival – all told with the wry humour and soul-baring honesty of a man who's seen it all. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ned will be bringing his unforgettable show to the Edinburgh Fringe this year at Dairy Room at Underbelly, Bristo Square from August 6th. Tickets can be found here:
